Insulin expiration!

[Brently]

hi guys, I'm 31 yrs old and a few months into Type 1 diabetes. I have recently changed my insulin regimen to one dose of Lantis 24 hour insulin and several doses a day of Humalog insulin as necessary when I eat.

I was told by my pharmacist that Humalog expires 28 days after the seal is punctured whether I use it or not. Yet, there's no way to be charged for a smaller 30 day supply. Does this seem like a rip off to anyone else? Is there any studies that anyone knows about where the insulin doesn't become so unstable?

I don't really have a choice in the matter but just wanted to vent.

[jen_slc]

Totally, it frustrates me too! It would take me over 2 months to use up an entire vial of Lantus, over a month to use up my Apidra and over 4 months to use up my Regular. I don't know of any studies off-hand, but I'm sure there must be some out there. What I do is carry all of my insulin vials around in a cooling pack to extend their life beyond 28 days. I can usually go a month and a half this way, though it varies. Sometimes I lose track of the length of time it's been since I've opened a vial (if I forget to mark the vials), but consistently slightly higher BG levels without any explanation are a good reminder! :o

[Tiger Lily]

get insulin pens!

the cartridges hold 3ml of insulin, rather than 10ml in a vial

as for these expiration dates.......... well, when i was first put on Humalog, using a syringe and the 10ml vial, i never knew about an 'expiry date' and i never had any problems

and i shot 2 to 3 units for 3 meals a day, so 9 ml plus 2 units each for an air shot...... 14 units a day.......... that implies that a vial of Humalog lasted me 71 days...... and i have NEVER had a problem with it

since then, i have switched to the pens and i no longer store the vial in the fridge :)

good luck!

[JediSkipdogg]

I have not heard of that with Humalog. With Lantus it's very true. After about 28-30 days it starts to break down more rapidly and becomes less effective. It has something to do with once air hits it it becomes unstable. Unfortunately there's nothing you can do about with without switching to pens as someone mentioned which come in smaller cartridges.